Sekkisei Kose peel off mask reformulated, for better or worse?

Have your pores ever get so clogged you wish you have a vacuum to suck out the half solid oil gunk from them? try a peel off mask! Have your skin ever been so flaky that you were tempted to pick/peel them off or use scotch tape to lift them off? use a peel off mask instead! Is your peach fuzz so heavy that…..oh wait, actually, if you have lots of peach fuzz, peel off mask may not be a good idea. But anyways! My first peel off mask, back when I was a teenager with nose full of whiteheads and skin that oozes more oil than Iraq, was Sekkisei Kose Mask White. I just randomly picked up a tube one day and oh boy! It made me feel like a snake that just shed it’s skin, all the oil, pore clogging gunks and flakes are pulled out! But all good things come to an end, since I realized recently that they reformulated it.

I hate it when companies reformulate my favorite products, because half of the time it became something different and what I love about it is gone (supposedly Ren Glycolic mask is a reformulated/successor of the F10 mask I used to love. They lied, it’s not the same *wails*). It is with some trepidation that I bought and am trying the new mask, wondering if I’ll have to say goodbye to another favorite or if my skin will be fine. Fortunately, it is a keeper.

(Old) Kose Mask White

It was THE peel off mask in the market way before Boscia came out with any of their peel off masks. I originally had oily skin and the pores on my nose were so stuffed with oily gunk that I have to use Biore pore strip every week at least. If you don’t use it correctly, you end up with glue left on the skin. If you do use it correctly, the pulling power is so strong I feel like I’m trying to pull my face off with ductape. This is a less harsh version of Biore pore strip that’s much better for your skin and appropriate for the whole face.

It comes out of the tube like a black creamy sticky gel, a thicker glue consistency. I like to smooth it on my skin in sections since it starts to dry pretty soon. Apply generously, or so it looks black without much skin peeking though, then wait 20min or so for it to dry completely. It have a light refreshing herbal scent and you can feel it sink into the pore, then tighten and pulls up/out as it dries.

I have tried various peel off masks after my first discovery of Sekkisei Kose, like the Boscia peel off masks and True Blue Spa blackberry peel off mask. Sekkisei Kose sinks in slightly deeper with a stronger peeling power than both, and it definitely peels off easily in one piece. Speaking of peeling it off….DO NOT GET IT IN YOUR HAIR. It will pull out peach fuzz. The mask/pulling power is more intense after a shower when the skin is softened and less if you are just washing your face, depending on your tolerance. It definitely pulls out tiny oily gunks, but won’t work for hardened and deep rooted whiteheads. After removing it, my pores feel all tingling and empty. It is also a tad more drying, so make sure to moisturize extra generously/properly after use.

Can you see all the white flaky skin/oily gunk it pulled out of my cheek? this is after cleansing of course. If you use it too often it might make your skin a bit dry, but once a week or month is definitely good for maintenance.

Compounded with nano-sized black powder that readily disperses across the surface of the skin. The formula spreads as if being absorbed into the skin, giving it a comfortable firmness and a healthy appearance.

* 96% ladies said their face felt silky smooth after using it just once! (2013 Survey of 26 Taiwanese ladies)

When I tried the mask, it’s the same sticky thick black gel. The scent is the same but slightly milder. It looks and feel the same when it is drying and when taking off. Aside from the scent, the new version is a tad less drying/harsh (but still stronger/more effective than Boscia Black). Since my skin has gotten drier than my teenage years when I first start using it, I appreciate the fact the new version is just as effective but not as drying. I’m not sure about tighten skin or “awakening translucency from within” with it’s scent. However, it satisfied all the other claims of absorbed/sink in deeply to refine pores, removing oily gunks, lifting flakes and make the skin brighter/healthier.

This mask, just like KGD cleansing water and Jack Black lip balm, is something I can never run out and must have 1 or more backup of. I’ve used/bought 4 or 5 of the old version so far probably, and since the new version is just as wonderful, I will happily continue to use this. Hooray! I did not lose one of my holy grail this time!

Haha, thanky thanky. I’m just happy that I didn’t lose another favorite product. Mud/clay masks are great at soaking up oil and shrinking blemish, but nothing pulls out the gunks and flakes like a good peel-off mask, for me at least. =)